1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a switch assembly, and more particularly to a fluid flow switch assembly for indicating a flow of fluid therethrough.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many multiple-occupancy buildings, such as apartment or office buildings, the amount of energy consumed for comfort heating is measured only by a central meter, indicating total energy consumption for the entire building. The cost of the energy used is reflected in the rental or maintenance charges paid by the occupants, but is not pro-rated on the basis of the actual amounts of energy used by the respective tenants, since there is no measurement of the respective amounts. In fact, some cities have ordinances requiring that the cost of electricity be included in the rental rate, in the case of all electrically heated apartments. Studies have shown that buildings wherein energy consumption is centrally metered regularly consume more energy per unit of space served than do building wherein energy use is individually metered, other conditions being equal. In most cases, the largest source of energy consumption in multiple-occupancy buildings is comfort control.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,958, there is disclosed an energy consumption indicating system for a multiple-occupancy dwelling including a plurality of units each having a space heat exchanger and a thermostat and wherein said multiple-occupancy dwelling is provided with a main heat exchanger having an outlet conduit, an inlet conduit and at least one circulating pump and wherein a conduit member is provided for each unit in fluid communication with the main heat exchanger and the space heat exchanger in each unit and wherein fluid flow through each conduit member is effected in response to a thermostat in each unit and wherein a time meter for each unit is energized to measure time duration of fluid flow through the conduit member.